Certain applications in the automotive industry require a means which is capable of filling a gap of varying size. A specific such application is in a radiator assembly. Longitudinal cooling coils and upper and lower radiator plates extend between a pair of vertically extending flanged side plates and are soldered thereto. In order to account for dimensional tolerances and thermal coefficients of expansion, the side members are made slightly longer than necessary with the result that small gaps remain between the laterally extending plates and the flanges which extend from the side plates.
Due to the fragile nature of the solder joints, it is essential that these gaps be plugged to provide rigidity to the radiator assembly. Otherwise, the vibrational environment to which the radiator is subjected would cause warping with resultant breaking or cracking of the solder joints.
Prior to this invention, the method used to fill those gaps comprised soldering an appropriate number of shims constituting a sufficient thickness to fill the gap between the horizontal plates and the laterally extending flanges of the vertical side plates. Such a remedy is not entirely satisfactory for a number of reasons. First, since the gaps are not of uniform size, a variety of thicknesses of shims must be kept on hand. Further, while the gap may appear to be filled by the shims, the gap may actually be under or over filled. If under filled, the shims will be ineffective to prevent the shifting they are supposed to prevent. If the gap is over filled, the shims may created torsional moments tending to spread the side plates apart.